Blue Beetle & Ravager to Get 'Co-Features' in DC Titles
By Matt Brady
posted: 12 March 2009 11:24 am ET
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At this year’s New York Comic Con, word came that Keith Giffen would be helming a new Doom Patrol series, with art by Matthew Clark. While that was good enough news for Doom Patrol fans, what made it even more interesting is that the new series will have a co-feature, that is, each issue will have a second story in it, in this instance, Metal Men, which Giffen will co-write with his former Justice League partner J.M. DeMatteis, with art by Kevin Maguire.

The news of a book with “co-features” piqued the curiosity of more than a few DC fans who wondered if there would be more coming. The answer, as DC Universe Executive Editor Dan DiDio exclusively revealed to Newsarama is: yes.

In June, both Teen Titans and Booster Gold (prior to the launch of Doom Patrol, which debuts later in the summer) will gain their own co-features: Ravager and Blue Beetle, respectively. The co-features will be presented in pages added in addition to the regular series’ stories.

“We have a number of characters and series ideas that we firmly believe in and that a lot of creators are passionate about, but unfortunately, when it comes to the actual production of an actual series or a miniseries, they always run into some challenge when it comes to sales,” DiDio explained when asked about the co-feature initiative. “That’s not to say that the projects aren’t good or that the characters aren’t viable, but for whatever reason it is, they always have less sales potential than our other books. But I believe these characters need a place to be seen and for their stories to be told.”

According to DiDio, the Blue Beetle and Ravage stories will pick up on threads from the recently canceled Blue Beetle series, as well as Ravager’s storyline in Terror Titans, and will continue to move the characters in their own directions.

“We’ve listened to things that people are saying, and there are a lot of well-loved characters out there that for whatever reason can’t support a series at this time,” DiDio said. “This approach, we feel, gives them a chance to shine and attract new readers and fans as well, and more importantly, add value to our books as well.”

The move is, as DiDio pointed out, a return of sorts for DC, as he pointed back to his own days of a fan when Firestorm appeared as a second feature in the ongoing Flash series. Those stories, DiDio said, are still fondly remembered by fans today, and also still have ramifications decades down the road.

“Something like this – like more than one feature in a book, is what makes comics comics, to me,” DiDio said. “My hope is that, with the pages we have allocated for the stories, that we’re able to really capture a level of excitement and get people hooked on these characters. And there’s a good chance that, if these things catch on with readers, they can spin out and be in their own series again – and that speaks to the quality of the co-features: with every second feature, whether it’s a character or a team or a story – it’s something that we feel would have been worthy for a miniseries or an ongoing series. These aren’t any lesser stories or characters.”

Of course, in today’s market, the good news always comes with at least a little bad, and DiDio confirmed that both Teen Titans and Booster Gold - and other series with co-features will increase in price to $3.99.

“We’re holding the $2.99 line as hard as we can, and we will never move a book over to $3.99 unless we feel that there is value added to justify that price change,” DiDio said.

More books will have co-features added to them in the coming months. Stay tuned to Newsarama for more news on what characters and teams will show up where, and the creative teams that will be handling them.

So the good news: Blue Beetle getting solo stories once again.

The bad news: DC still trying to fit the square peg of Ravager into the round hole of fan's tastes. I don't understand the fascination with this character. Terror Titans doesn't sell well. Teen Titans numbers drop when she's on the team. There is zero fan following that I know of.

The price of Booster Gold and Teen Titans is increasing.

DC trying to force a relationship between Booster and Jaime. I don't see the connection. Jaime is not Ted. He does not time travel and never served on the League with Booster. Maybe I am wrong here. Although I am happy to see Beetle get any sort of solo project, why not give him a leadership role in the Titans?

Your thoughts friends?

__________________

"You're like a Dr Seuss character.......You are the Wompus.....you speak for the nerds." -Anubis

I'm not sure why everyone is getting the impression that there's gonna be any connection between the title series and the backup stories at all. I mean, sure, they'll probably cross over once in a while, but for the most part it sounds like there's gonna be one story about one character and there's gonna be one story about another character and that'll be that. Back in the day, all sorts of comics had all sorts of other comics as backups which may or may not had anything to do with the main comic. Green Lantern used to back up Flash, and Superman used to back up Dr. Occult.

Moreover, I'm surprised at the apparent disconnect people seem to see between Jaime and Booster 'cause, I mean, in my opinion Jaime could show up tomorrow in Booster's series as a regular cast member and it wouldn't actually seem all that strange. Booster is as much one of Jaime's mentors and inspirations as anyone else. I don't see how DC is forcing a relationship between then when they already have a relationship.

__________________I'll kick down the walls around me; they don't know how strong I am
I'm not defined by boundaries; they could never understand, I'm so much more than status quo

I am a Starship Ranger!
I'm gonna do everything I can to always be a Starship Ranger; it's everything I am!

You know, I wanted to read Blue Beetle, but never got the chance before it was cancelled. I already read Booster Gold. I'd totally pay an extra dollar to continue to read Booster with a Beetle back-up story.

You know, I wanted to read Blue Beetle, but never got the chance before it was cancelled. I already read Booster Gold. I'd totally pay an extra dollar to continue to read Booster with a Beetle back-up story.

In this case, I'm in the same boat. If I get at least 8 more pages of back story, I'll probably stay around despite the price increase.

You know, there's a small chance this could boost sales. There are probably people out there who want to read about Blue Beetle who weren't already reading Booster Gold.

God, I'd love it if the adventures of Connor Hawke became a backup in Green Arrow & Black Canary. And if the marginalization of Wally West was reduced by putting his adventures in the back of Barry's? Oh, I'd be there.

God, I'd love it if the adventures of Connor Hawke became a backup in Green Arrow & Black Canary. And if the marginalization of Wally West was reduced by putting his adventures in the back of Barry's? Oh, I'd be there.

Lemme wrap my head around this. I like Jamie Reyes a lot. The reason I am buying TT is to read about him, but now, I have to pay an extra buck for a story about Ravager, who I hate. So instead, I can read about Jamie in BG, which I dropped, because I felt the time travel idea was kinda stale since nothing is ever going to happen.

__________________

"You're like a Dr Seuss character.......You are the Wompus.....you speak for the nerds." -Anubis

Ravager isn't that bad. She just isn't that appealing either. And she certainly doesn't deserve a back-up feature. I'd rather see a back-up feature dealing with solo adventures of the Teen Titans members in that book. If Ravager were still a Teen Titan then I could get behind her having a back-up feature every once and a while. But devoting the entire thing to her is just ridiculous.

I'd honestly like to see Justice League of America, Justice Society of America, and Titans have back-up features to the individual members of those teams.